July 16, 2025
Former All-Star starting pitcher
Aaron Sanchez is attempting to make a comeback after last pitching in the big leagues in 2022 with the Washington Nationals and Minnesota Twins, where he went a combined 3-4 with a 6.60 ERA and 1.55 WHIP while striking out 41 and walking 15 in 60 innings over 15 appearances (10 starts). The 33-year-old former first-rounder by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2010 pitched last season for Triple-A Buffalo, where he had an ugly 7.92 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 39 walks in 61 1/3 innings. It's unclear how good of shape Sanchez is in and whether any team will give him a minor-league deal for the second half of the 2025 season. He was an All-Star for Toronto back in 2016, but his career was cut short due to injuries, and he'll be a long shot to return to the majors after taking so much time off.
--Keith HernandezSource: USA TODAY Sports - Bob Nightengale
July 16, 2025
The Baltimore Orioles announced on Wednesday that they claimed right-hander
Elvin Rodriguez off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers and optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com. Rodriguez returned to the big leagues this year with Milwaukee after spending most of 2023 and all of 2024 in Japan. The 27-year-old Dominican hurler appeared in just six games (two starts) for the Brew Crew, going 0-2 while allowing 18 earned runs on 23 hits (seven home runs), walking seven and striking out 17 in 18 2/3 innings pitched. He had a 4.25 ERA and 1.25 WHIP with 25 strikeouts and only six walks in 29 2/3 innings over 16 appearances (two starts) while at Triple-A Nashville. Rodriguez made his MLB debut in 2022 with Detroit and has a rough 9.23 ERA, 1.68 WHIP and 47:22 K:BB in 14 major-league outings (seven starts).
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Jake Rill
July 16, 2025
The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired infielder
Cam Devanney from the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday in exchange for veteran infielder/outfielder
Adam Frazier, the Pirates announced. The Pirates have optioned Devanney to Triple-A Indianapolis, where he'll serve as middle-infield depth. The 28-year-old former 15th-round selection in 2019 out of Elon University by the Milwaukee Brewers has the ability to play pretty much every infield position and can also serve as an outfielder in a pinch, which will increase his odds of making his MLB debut in Pittsburgh later this year. In 69 games at Triple-A Omaha in the first half of 2025, Devanney hit .272/.366/.565 with a .931 OPS, 18 home runs, 55 RBI, 41 runs scored and three steals in 288 trips to the plate. He's a .253 hitter in six minor-league seasons and had a career-high 23 bombs in 2022.
--Keith HernandezSource: Pittsburgh Pirates
July 16, 2025
Cleveland Guardians second base prospect
Travis Bazzana (oblique) is scheduled to be activated off the minor-league injured list to rejoin Double-A Akron when the team resumes play in the second half of the season on Friday at Double-A Altoona, according to Guardians Prospective. Bazzana, the team's top prospect per MLB Pipeline, has been on the minor-league IL since the middle of May with a strained right oblique, but the 22-year-old started a rehab assignment on July 5 and has gone 4-for-18 with two RBI, seven runs and a steal. The left-handed-hitting Australian from Oregon State was hitting .252 (32-for-127) with four home run, 17 RBI, 29 runs scored and eight stolen bases in 33 contests with Akron before his oblique injury. Bazzana should be stashed in most dynasty/keeper leagues, but there's a good chance he won't make his MLB debut until 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: Guardians Prospective
July 16, 2025
The Milwaukee Brewers reinstated left-hander
Aaron Ashby from the paternity list back on Monday and optioned right-hander
Easton McGee to Triple-A Nashville in a corresponding move. Ashby was away from the team for the birth of his child for the final three games of the first half of the season last weekend, but he's now back with the club and will be available out of the bullpen for the start of the second half this Friday in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. The 27-year-old southpaw got a late start to the 2025 season due to injury, but he's made up for lost time and has been a key arm in Milwaukee's bullpen through his 13 outings, as he's posted a sharp 1.66 ERA (2.67 FIP), a 1.06 WHIP, one save, 26 strikeouts and seven walks in 21 2/3 innings pitched. With how well he's pitching in relief, it's worth wondering if the Brewers will return him to a starting role eventually.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com
July 16, 2025
Milwaukee Brewers right fielder
Sal Frelick (hamstring) has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 hamstring strain, and his status for Friday's series opener at Dodger Stadium against the Los Angeles Dodgers is to be determined, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. The Brewers will monitor Frelick's progress the next few days before deciding if he needs a stint on the injured list. The 25-year-old was injured in the last game of the first half of the season on Sunday and could be out another week or so if he's not ready to return to action this weekend in L.A. If Frelick lands on the IL, the Brewers could call up
Blake Perkins from the minors to play some right field in Milwaukee. Frelick is having the best year of his career in his third big-league season, hitting .294/.354/.404 with a .758 OPS, seven home runs, 39 RBI, 46 runs and 17 stolen bases in 93 games played.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Adam McCalvy
July 16, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Mike Sirota (knee) was transferred to the 60-day injured list on Sunday, an unfortunate turn of events after a strong first half of the season. The Dodgers' sixth-ranked prospect was slashing .333/.452/.616 between Single-A and High-A this season, belting 16 doubles, three triples, and 13 home runs in 59 games. His .483 wOBA led all minor leaguers (150 AB minimum), and a 186 wRC+ was second-best. The 22-year-old injured his knee on a slide while running the bases and hasn't played since July 5. No official word has been given in regards to the injury, but it appears it is more serious than first thought when he was initially placed on the 7-day IL.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
July 16, 2025
Minnesota Twins outfield prospect
Gabriel Gonzalez is currently tied for the minor league lead in total hits with 108, including 29 doubles, which are the third-most in the minors. On the back of a 12.0 percent strikeout rate and minuscule 7.7 percent swinging-strike rate, the Twins' 17th-ranked prospect has helped himself to a robust .347/.420/.527 slash line through 78 games (34 at High-A, 44 at Double-A). The Venezuelan was the team's fourth-ranked prospect last year, but an uninspiring 2024 led to a drop in ranking. However, he looks to be returning to the once-promising form he showed while in the Seattle organization before coming over in the deal that sent
Jorge Polanco westward. He looks ready for a test at Triple-A, and the 21-year-old could be making fantasy waves next year if everything goes right.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
July 16, 2025
New York Mets catching prospect
Christopher Suero is headed to Double-A Binghamton after 161 games at High-A between 2024 and 2025. The Mets' 20th-ranked prospect hit just .240 this year, but his home runs (13), RBI (51), and runs scored (53) were all top six in the South Atlantic League. The 21-year-old was striking out at an elevated 28.6 percent rate, however, it was somewhat offset by the strong 13.6 percent walk rate that helped him to a healthy .382 OBP. The 5-foot-11 backstop also has quite a bit of speed for a catcher, swiping 25 bags so far this season in 74 games. That could make him an intriguing fantasy asset were he eventually to get to the majors, so he's worth keeping an eye on. Still, the team may also move him off of catcher, with experience at first base and in the outfield during his minor league tenure.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB Central
July
16,
2025
The
Philadelphia
Phillies
have
set
their
starting
rotation
for
this
weekend
coming
out
of
the
All-Star
break,
per
Matt
Gelb
of
The
Athletic.
Left-hander
Jesus
Luzardo
will
get
the
nod
for
Friday's
series
opener
at
Citizens
read more...
July 16, 2025
Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports that Atlanta Braves left-hander
Chris Sale (ribs) played catch on Tuesday. Sale isn't eligible to come off the 60-day injured list until after Aug. 19, but he's at least making progress toward an eventual return to the team's starting rotation later this season. Tuesday was the first time that last year's National League Cy Young winner has thrown a baseball since he was diagnosed with a fractured left rib cage almost a month ago. The 36-year-old veteran southpaw should pitch for the Braves again this year, but by the time he returns, there won't be much time left for him to make an impact for his fantasy managers. Still, he's worth stashing in all formats for his high-end upside when healthy. In 15 starts before his injury, Sale had gone 5-4 with a 2.52 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with 114 strikeouts and 26 walks in 89 1/3 innings pitched.
--Keith HernandezSource: MLB.com - Mark Bowman
July 16, 2025
Cleveland Guardians outfield prospect
Tommy Hawke is the current minor league stolen base leader, pacing the field with 65 steals on the season. The 2023 sixth-round draft pick recently earned a promotion to High-A after slashing .309/.453/.382 with 63 steals and walking (53) more than he was striking out (44). With just four games at High-A under his belt, the Wake Forest product is 5-for-18 (.278) with a 1:4 BB:K and two steals. The 23-year-old doesn't have home run power as evidenced by a single career home run in 565 minor league at-bats, but the speed is what makes him intriguing for fantasy. Even so, the diminutive left-handed slugger is likely a couple of seasons away from the majors, and for now, he's off the dynasty radar.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
July 16, 2025
Los Angeles Dodgers outfield prospect Ching-Hsien Ko is currently leading all minor-leaguers (150 at-bat minimum) in batting average and on-base percentage at this point in the season, hitting .370 with a .488 on-base percentage for the ACL Dodgers. The Dodgers' 13th-ranked prospect has reached base via hit or walk in 46 of the 47 games in which he's seen at least one plate appearance, and has collected 15 doubles, a triple, and three home runs along the way. The 18-year-old owns an impressive 35:37 BB:K and even has some speed in his 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame, swiping five bags so far in 2025. It appears a tougher test at Single-A is in order, and the left-handed slugger from Taiwan could begin to creep up the prospect ranks, although he's a few years away from the majors.
--Jarod RuppSource: MiLB.com
July 16, 2025
Veteran right-hander
Shintaro Fujinami has signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball, the team announced Tuesday. Fujinami pitched in the NPB from 2013-22 and put up a quality 3.41 ERA in 994 1/3 innings, leading to interest from major league clubs. He joined the Athletics on a one-year, $3.25 million deal heading into 2023, which proved to be his lone season in the bigs. Fujinami combined for 79 innings and a disastrous 7.18 ERA that year between the A's and the Baltimore Orioles. The 31-year-old has since spent time with the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners, but he was unable to crack the majors with either team. Fujinami logged a 5.79 ERA in 18 2/3 frames with the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma this season before returning to Japan.
--Connor ByrneSource: Yokohama DeNA BayStars
July 16, 2025
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder
Jonny DeLuca (shoulder) has begun a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League as he works back from a strained right shoulder. The Rays have gone almost the whole season without DeLuca, who last played April 6 and has since suffered multiple setbacks in his rehab. He went 10-for-23 with four stolen bases and four runs scored before going on the IL. Over a much larger sample size in 2024, the 27-year-old batted .217/.278/.331 with six homers, 31 RBI, 29 runs, and 16 steals in 362 trips to the plate.
--Connor ByrneSource: Evan Closky
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